This invention relates to a protective device to interrupt the flow of current at a work place when current of a magnitude to endanger life flows through the body of a person.
Protective devices against a dangerous voltage are today available in the form of so-called ground connection breakers. They have the purpose of interrupting the main current when current flows between a phase winding of an alternating power source and ground so as to avoid fire as well as the occurrence of dangerous voltages in grounded equipment. Ground connection breakers are also available in designs which protect a person against life-endangering flows of current in case they get simultaneously into contact with a phase and the ground line. However, these breakers have only a limited application because they are very sensitive to leakage current. Moreover, they do not protect the persons when they touch simultaneously different phases.
A protective device is known from the U.S. Pat. No. 3,706,008. One of the disadvantages of this known device is the fact that the user is, in the real sense of the word, bound to his work place by means of the lines which connect the electrodes with the current breaking device. The current breaking device is designed as a control unit and is to be freedom of on a work table or such whereby the freedomof movement of the user is limited to a large degree by means of the lines connected to the unit.